This review may contain spoilers
Love Wins All
I absolutely adore this drama. It really resonates with me, and it reminds me so much of two IU songs, Love Wins All and Friday, haha. I’ll dive into why I love it so much in a bit, but first, I want to make one thing clear. This is a slice-of-life drama. Everything that happens feels like everyday life—routine, maybe a small hiccup here and there, but nothing overly dramatic. So, if you’re expecting a fast-paced plot with tons of twists, you might want to skip this one. I totally get why some people find it boring; it’s just not their cup of tea. And that’s fine! But let’s respect those who genuinely enjoy it.I was scrolling through comments and reviews earlier, and one of them claimed the drama’s high ratings on another platform were from bots or bought with money. Lol, seriously? So, part of why I’m writing this is to say: real people do love this drama. I’m not getting paid to rave about it—if anything, I paid to watch it on the platform! Another thing: the view count for Road Home on Yunhe, which tracks organic online views for dramas in the domestic market, is super impressive—over 40 million views. (For context, plenty of trendy dramas with big-name stars don’t even hit that number.) That shows there’s a solid fanbase for this drama. So yeah, let’s respect different tastes. It might seem bland to some, but it’s far from bad—in fact, it’s special for those of us who vibe with this genre.
Alright, enough of that. Let’s get into the good stuff!
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
In a nutshell, this drama is about two people who were each other’s first love but broke up. Years later, fate brings them back together, and they reconnect, working through small past misunderstandings to build a happy, heartwarming life. If you’re into dramas without complicated misunderstandings or messy love triangles—just pure, natural warmth and sweetness in a mature love story—then you have to watch this. For me, watching this drama feels like curling up on the couch with a blanket in winter, sipping a cozy mug of hot chocolate. It’s soothing, safe, and relaxing. Most importantly, the romance between the main characters doesn’t feel cringey or fake. (I’ve dropped so many hyped-up dramas because the romance felt too forced or plastic, so finding this gem made me genuinely happy.) Oh, and one more thing: the drama has plenty of intimate scenes, and the male lead? Let’s just say he’s a great kisser. So yeah, I’m totally satisfied, lol.
I love how the character Lu Chen is written. He’s loyal, talented at work, and can handle household chores like a pro. But he’s not some perfect guy. His family background is messy, he’s got a bit of a blunt personality, and he’s super quiet—Gui Xiao literally has to nudge him to say more sometimes. I think this makes him feel so real and relatable. In real life, nobody’s perfect.
What’s great is that Jing Bo Ran brings Lu Chen to life so vividly. If an actor doesn’t nail a quiet, stoic character like this, they can easily come off as stiff or boring. I’ve seen it happen in other dramas—honestly, I could name a C-drama right now for comparison if you want, haha—so I know how tricky this role is. Jing Bo Ran does it with these subtle, natural touches: his expressive eyes, small body language cues, all so authentic. It makes Lu Chen feel alive and compelling.
Gui Xiao, the female lead, is an independent, smart woman, but she’s also sensitive and deeply in love. She loves Lu Chen so much, to the point where she’s willing to put up with the challenges of his job affecting their family life. She could easily find a partner who’s always around, keeping her company, instead of waiting weeks or even a month to see her husband. But she chooses Lu Chen. In those moments, I just want to cue IU’s Love Wins All or Friday as the background music, lol. Tan Songyun absolutely nails Gui Xiao’s role—no complaints whatsoever. She’s especially incredible in the emotional scenes, hands-down one of the best young actresses in Cbiz.
A few other things I love about the script: there’s only one short misunderstanding from the past, and it’s resolved gently. In the present, there are no misunderstandings like that. When Gui Xiao’s dad objects to Lu Chen, I was worried it’d turn into some cliché where Lu Chen quietly backs off without telling her. That would’ve been so frustrating. But thank goodness, Lu Chen is resolute and stands firm in his choice. Nothing can stop him and Gui Xiao from being together—it’s their decision, period. There’s a third party that pops up briefly, but it’s a non-issue. Like I said, nothing gets in Lu Chen’s way when it comes to the person he loves, unless Gui Xiao herself calls it quits. This kind of script feels so refreshing.
I absolutely love the dialogue between Lu Chen and Gui Xiao! It’s romantic but not over-the-top cheesy, striking that perfect balance of natural and heartfelt. None of that “domineering CEO” nonsense, no grand vows or dramatic promises—just real. From the character development to the plot and the dialogue, everything ties in beautifully with the slice-of-life vibe of the drama.
And the chemistry between the leads is absolutely incredible. I couldn’t stop smiling during their intimate scenes. Like I mentioned before, Jing Bo Ran is so good in the kissing scenes, so the romantic and intimate moments are honestly a gift from this drama.
The drama’s weak spots mostly come down to the supporting characters. The dialogue in the SWAT team scenes feels like it was lifted straight from a textbook—kind of preachy and not very authentic. But this is a Chinese drama, and I get that they have to tread carefully with anything involving military or political stuff, so I can let it slide. Also, the romantic subplot for the secondary couple isn’t well-developed, but thankfully, it doesn’t take up much screen time. You could skip those parts, and it wouldn’t affect the main storyline at all. Another thing: the family conflict for the male lead is set up nicely but resolved in a rushed, half-hearted way that doesn’t feel real.
All that said, for me, the drama’s strengths far outweigh its flaws. The main romance and the acting—plus the incredible chemistry between the leads—completely steal the show. I was ready to rewatch it the second I finished my first viewing, and I’ll probably watch it again multiple times. This drama has actually made it hard for me to pick another modern C-drama to watch next. I’ve tried a few over the past couple of days, but none of them have the same captivating chemistry or leave the same impression as this one.
Lu Chen, played by Jing Bo Ran, and Gui Xiao, played by Tan Songyun, are hands-down one of my favorite C-drama couples ever.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Love That Gently Breaks You: Under the Hawthorn Tree
Watching Under the Hawthorn Tree was a deeply moving experience. The performances by Zhou Dongyu and Shawn Dou were absolutely phenomenal — there’s nothing to criticize. Their appearances suited the characters so perfectly. Shawn Dou especially stood out with his warm, honest smile and bright, youthful eyes — he embodied the kind-hearted, genuine boy that Sun Jianxin was meant to be. His presence was both beautiful and quietly powerful.The cinematography and direction were simple, but that simplicity worked in the film’s favor. The framing, the stillness, the restrained camera — everything felt intimate and sincere. The director did a brilliant job bringing subtle emotions to life.
This is the only Chinese romance film that has made me cry this much — and not just quietly tearing up, but sobbing. The scene where Jing Qiu and Sun lie together in bed, talking softly, was unforgettable. Sun tells Jing Qiu that one day she’ll have a child, she’ll be a mother, a grandmother. Jing Qiu asks, “What about you?” and he says, “If you live well, then I live well too.” That broke me. I cried. And when the final scenes came, I couldn’t hold it back anymore — I cried out loud.
Their love story was “just enough” — never overdone, never exaggerated. It felt real. It was tender, grounded, and delicately portrayed. I especially loved how Sun loved Jing Qiu — in every little way. How he couldn’t help but sneak out with her behind her mother’s back. And then, when Jing Qiu finally tells him she’s thought it through, that she’s ready to do whatever he wants — Sun, like any man deeply in love, of course wants to take that step. And it was one of the rare moments of raw honesty that Chinese romance films don’t often portray — that desire rooted in love. But then… he sees she’s not quite ready, and he stops. He respects her. That moment felt so human, so gentle, and so powerful.
Sun’s love for Jing Qiu was quiet, careful, respectful, and utterly genuine. Even in his final days, he gazes at the photo of them that he’d taped to the hospital wall — clinging to that last thread of love.
Sun passed away. And Jing Qiu would go on with her life. Life must go on. No matter how beautiful or tragic a love story is, it too will sink into the river — just like the hawthorn tree, and the land where they first met.
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They Gave Qi Yue a Name in the Title, but Not in the Script.
Let’s talk about Qi Yue and An Sheng — or should I say, An Sheng and Her Loyal Sidekick. Because clearly, that’s what the film is actually about.I’m genuinely pissed at how they wrote Qi Yue. People keep saying, “She doesn’t deserve An Sheng’s sacrifices,” like it’s her fault she was written flatter than a cardboard cutout. How is she supposed to “deserve” anything when the script gives her zero agency? Every moment that could’ve been hers — gone. Every bit of development — handed to An Sheng instead. Qi Yue doesn’t get to be a character; she gets to support one.
It’s laughable, honestly. The title promises a story of two girls — equals, friends, maybe even rivals in love or life. But what do we get? One main character (An Sheng) and one glorified plot device (Qi Yue), whose sole purpose is to highlight how “tragic and selfless” the other girl is. What a scam.
This isn’t a story about friendship. This is a story about An Sheng being the protagonist of everyone’s life, including Qi Yue’s. And the film has the audacity to name them both in the title like that means anything. Qi Yue deserves better. And viewers deserve a script that respects both its female leads, not one that picks a favorite and erases the other.
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